The National Assembly’s special committee on the now-closed Jinju Medical Center decided to file a complaint with the prosecution against South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Hong Joon-pyo for refusing to show up at its hearing.
The former Saenuri chairman refused to attend a parliamentary hearing on his decision to close the provincial public hospital on several occasions. The panel even issued a legally binding order of attendance last week, but Hong again refused.
In the last meeting of the 32-day parliamentary probe, the panel also urged provincial governments to draft plans to improve management of regional public hospitals and the Health Ministry to come up with a follow-up plan on Jinju Medical Center.
The committee to question the current status of public medical institutions has been looking into the controversial shutdown of Jinju Medical Center. But it ended Saturday without making substantial progress as Hong, a key figure, refused to participate.
Despite widespread criticism, the governor closed the medical center last month, citing snowballing losses and a hard-line labor union.
Councilors from the ruling Saenuri Party railroaded the bill for its closure despite fierce protests from the main opposition Democratic Party.
It was approved by a majority of councilors from the ruling party only five minutes after it was put to a vote during an emergency meeting at the provincial assembly.
Union members as well as lawmakers and council members from opposition parties resisted the plan, accusing the provincial government of applying market principles to a public hospital that was set up to deliver social services to people in the region, not to seek a profit.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
